Getting Ready For Vacation

Colleen has had my camera card and the main reason for me keeping this blog was to keep me on track with my quilting. It is difficult in the summer because I do try to spend as much time outside as possible. I read a lot in the summer and just finished “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” It was a fascinating read and expertly told by Rebecca Skloot. I loved the way she was able to get the biology in without making it dry and boring.

“Pigs” is coming along. I am working on it in the evening. The second bouquet is well on the way. I have started using 100 weight silk thread and we are getting along! I did try silk years ago and it kept coming unthreaded. I’ve come a long way since then and the silk is working out well.
I am appliquéing the flowers together before applying them to the background.

It’s difficult to do applique while driving and I’m not crazy about bringing all the paraphernalia associated with it so I am bringing my hand piecing with me. I have a few blocks cut and marked and ready to go! Here’s what I have completed for the center block so far.
I have about 5 more blocks ready to piece. It should keep me busy for the long ride to Cape Cod. The weather is supposed to be good but I plan to get some sewing done in the morning or late afternoon before the evening activities begin.

I’m so looking forward to seeing all my girls together and hope there’s not too much drama. There’s usually at least one major blow up but I guess that’s normal. It really stresses me because I try to avoid conflict and it makes me extremely upset because of the horrid fights my parents would have when I was growing up.

Off to get more laundry done and beach towels together for the drive tomorrow.

Action Packed Day and Lavender Wands

Before I get into today’s events a quick update from the past few days.  Sunday we took Mom to the ER and she was admitted.  They are running tests to see what’s causing the abdominal pain.  It’s the first time we’ve been in for this!  They did a CT scan today and hopefully they will let us know tomorrow.  The good news is that Dad has been able to get caught back up on his sleep.  I also finished the scarf I’ve been working on when I’ve been going back and forth the the hospital and watching Mom at home when Dad went for his swim or to church.

Summer Scarf

Today was busy but good busy.  We had our Member/Member at golf today.  I played with Kay Watnick and we played some holes great and some not so good.  Unfortunately we  both had good holes at the same time as well as bad at the same time.  We had fun nevertheless.  I couldn’t stay for lunch because I had a previously scheduled physical.  Everything seems fine.  I came home and had lunch then off to a nail appointment followed by a car wash and I picked up some ribbon because the lavender is almost past harvest time and I’ve been wanting to make some lavender wands.

Lavender Plant

This is one of 7 lavender plants growing in my front garden.  I’ve always loved the look and smell of lavender.  They are at the very end of harvesting them so I started to get busy late this afternoon.  I cut the individual stems as long as I can without getting into the hard wood and leaving new growth leaves.

Harvested Lavender

It smells so good!  Next I strip the leaves from the stems.

Lavender with stripped leaves

You have to work with them while the stems are supple.   Gather a bunch of lavender.  I usually use 17-21 stems but always an odd number for the weaving.  Make a slip knot with 1/8″ ribbon and put it around the “neck” of the stems.

Slip knot around the neck

Turn the bunch upside down and bend the stems back over the flowers trying to space the stems evenly around the entire bunch.

Bending the stems over the flower bunch.

Start weaving the ribbon over and under the turned stems.  The first row is always the most difficult.

Begin weaving

Continue weaving until the entire flower bunch is encased.

Weaving

Wrap the ribbon around the stems VERY TIGHT and tuck the tail of the ribbon under the last few wraps before tightening them up.

Finished Lavender Wand

They smell so good.  I’m going to try to get a few done tomorrow evening before the flowers fade.  I’m thinking weaving with a glass of wine on the deck could be a great way to end the day tomorrow!

What’s Going to Happen Today?

Today’s plans are up in the air.  Not my choice but life’s choice.  My mom’s not been well and we may be taking her back to the ER today, this time because of stomach pain.  It was bad yesterday and Dad is letting her sleep in today and will call me to let me know how she is when she gets up.

I always have a bag of things to do to help the time pass.  That in mind, I’m getting some hand piecing together to take to the hospital with me in case we have to go.   The lighting in the ER is not always good and I need good lighting to do a decent job on my applique and it takes more equipment than to hand piece. I have taken knitting up again because it’s easy to transport. I’m almost done with a summer scarf I started so I’m getting another block ready to go to get a hand pieced mariner’s compass done. I am trying to complete my quilting PHDs (Projects Half Done) so I don’t feel guilty starting new ones.

In addition, it’s Bryn’s last day in Michigan before she heads back to Boston.  Oh well, we get to spend an entire week with her in 2 weeks on Cape Cod.

 

Never a dull moment!

It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood!

The weather has been WONDERFUL this past week!  There are so few days like this in Michigan I feel I should take advantage of every one I can.  I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).  I get terribly depressed with the lack of sunlight and take antidepressants and sit in front of broad spectrum light in the winter to combat it.  I also have found that exercise has a positive impact.  Anyway, when the weather is warm and sunny I love to be outside near a water source reading.  It gets humid here in the summer so sitting outside and sewing is not always comfortable.  I have started sitting out in the evening as working on my Album quilt.  In the morning I like to get my exercise done and I have been trying to golf two mornings a week.  I also like having any appointments early and getting my errands done so I can have my afternoons free.

I have finally taken some pictures of the Baltimore Album style quilt I am working on.  These are 4 of the 9 blocks I have planned.

Notice the flowers made up of images of pigs or pig-associated items, i.e. pigskin.  I am working on the fifth-a floral arrangement in a vase.

On to get some yardwork done before it gets too hot.

Excitement!

I GOT A HOLE IN ONE GOLFING YESTERDAY!!! Joe and I went to Oakland HIlls to play 18 holes. I’ve been very frustrated with my game lately. I’ve played the worse golf I’ve played since I started! Joe worked with me on my posture and my grip and I tried out his hybrid. The front 9 went well enough and I scored alright. We grabbed a few beers at the turn and I had to call my dad to tell him we might be a little late to watch my mom while he went for his swim. I played the best I had ever hit on #12-long and over the water before hitting the green. I was feeling really good and just got up and hit my 7 iron at the 13th. It felt good and was headed in the right direction. I knew it was close but thought it had rolled behind the pin where I couldn’t see it. Joe kept saying he thought it went in and as we pulled up I honestly thought my ball had rolled to the side of the green. Joe said it was his ball and I should go look in the cup. Sure enough there was my ball-even with the “Evan’s Scholar” logo facing up so there was no doubt that it was my ball!

Hole In One!!!

I couldn’t believe it! But I felt really bad because Joe has been golfing for 45 years and has yet to get a hole in one and I’ve only been golfing about 8 years and now have one. He practices all the time and I’m so sporadic but I am trying to get out at least 3 times a week now-well the past 2 weeks. Jim, Joe’s business partner, said the world must be out of alignment since I have a hole in one and Joe doesn’t. I am really glad he was with me when I got it! We can at least share that! I’m hoping I can be with him when he gets one or he is with his brothers when he get it.

Anyway, we went over to my parents and Joe brought beer and wine for us to celebrate while we stayed with Mom while Dad went for his swim. Joe went out and got Mom some margarita mix so she could celebrate as well.

Didn’t get any quilting done today. Got a lot of errands and garden work done. It was a beautiful day and Joe didn’t go into the office at all. Bryn came home from Jim’s and we had a nice dinner with her on the cleaned up patio. I will try to get some done tomorrow morning but would like to go hang out at the pool tomorrow afternoon. Tuesday is ironing day and I have quite a bit to catch up on. The laundry is pretty well caught up otherwise.

Happy Fourth of July!

Gearing Up to Create

Oh, it’s so nice outside! I feel torn to just go out and play and to sit and get some of my applique done. There are so few really nice days in Michigan that I feel like I’m wasting it if I don’t go out! I’ve also lost a lot of weight (35 pounds) a year ago and have pretty much kept it off. I am up 5 pounds today but I think it’s partially due to the humidity and all the cheese I’ve eaten the past few days! Joe’s such a cheese-a-holic! It was good but pretty salty. I did get my run in this morning-3.23 miles-and hated every step! Hopefully it will help get my weight back where I want it. Anyway, I have been toying with getting a two-piece suit. I may go out and look to see if there’s anything I could get away with. I’m in pretty good shape now. My body fat percentage went from 36 to 19.7!

Feeling fit!

I think I will go look for a suit, enjoy the day and then work on my applique tonight. I am setting a goal of finishing it before our guild’s quilt show next February. I’ll post pictures of what I have so far when my battery for my camera is charged.

Here I Go!!!!

I’m going to try this blogging thing! I feel I need to be accountable to get things done with my quilting. I was successful losing weight with an online group so I’m hoping to translate that success to getting things done with my quilting. Because I don’t want to spend a lot of time with background today (I do have to get somethings done today) I’ll fill in my background as this blog goes on. I’m going to want to add some pictures of my progress but first I want to kind of get an idea of how this whole thing works! I’m enough computer literate to be dangerous-meaning I can really screw things up with no effort at all!

Okay, I’m going to post this and play around with some of the other options so wish me luck!!!